MAP environment forum October 31 2006
< Malling Action Partnership, < MAP Environment group Thanks! Thanks to everyone who contributed to last night's forum. Further comment If you would like to add further comment to each list you can do so. Please respect other people's comments - do NOT delete other comments, or uneccesarily edit them - if you disagree with a particular comment you are welcome to add your own view to the list, as of course you are if you would like to support a particular comment. If the lists become too long we will split this page up. If you would like to request this, if you don't feel confident about doing it yourself, please leave a note on this article's discussion page - click on the discussion tab at the top of the page. Related topic *MAP general comments page Environmental issues What are the main environmental issues facing West Malling and its surrounding communities? *Over development - too many houses *Over intensive development *Pressure from road traffic/vehicles *Too much creeping road and housing development *Walking bus for local children to West Malling CEP School *Again too much development *Again too many houses going up *Household rubbish should be collected weekly (not every other week) especially in summer *Parking at West Malling CEP School. Turning circle? *More social/low cost and rented housing especially in villages with small schools *Too much traffic and too many houses *The sub standard and regionally poor performing recycling rate which is linked to lack of doorstep collection - most important - or dropoff *Ensuring nightlife is kept - does not encourage anti-social behaviour *Increased development of surrounding road networks. Lack of growth in public network infrastructure *Access to and from West Street Protecting and enhancing countryside surrounding West Malling How best can the countryside surrounding West Malling be protected and enhanced? *SATNAV legislation to ensure that drivers are diverted away from using our many Quiet Lanes! Too easy for vehicles (incl. lorries) to be routed via unsuitable routes currently. *No more housing on green land and no more roads *National legislation to limit building additional properties on back gardens *Partnership with East Malling Research Station *More livestock farming *Public purchase of green land in the vein of Macey's Meadow *More dedicated cycle routes *New development (when unavoidable) should be sensitive to countryside and work to enhance rather than subtract *We enjoy the surrounding countryside of West Malling and are pleased we have Manor Park and Macey's Meadow. Our concern would be if Banky Meadows was developed. *By keeping as much green land as poss *Roadside and footpath verges cut more often *Ensure that trees in prominent locations are subject to preservation orders. *No more development around West Malling *Rejuvenation of fallow land back into sustainable farming *Greater access to be made available to tipping facilities for commercial rubbish to discourage "fly tipping" in lanes / verges / lay-bys *Pressure on government to stop wholesale development in South East *Protect what we have vigorously. Once its gone its gone. Quality of life in and around West Malling What would most improve quality of life for the people who live in, work in or visit West Malling and its surrounding villages? *Better library (with wider range of books (not just James Herbets and co's complete back catalogues)) *More shops of different variety *More fresh food shops. Butchers / Greengrocers. Bakers / Ironmonger *More traffic calming *Not having to travel to far to get things you need *Quality bread shop *Evening buses and buses to other villages *Later bus services daily between West Malling, its surrounding villages and Maidstone *Again more traffic calming. Better access to s hops for the aged. *Good travel (public) and affordable to major towns (Medway, Maidstone, Sevenoaks) *More local shops, less restaurants, coffee bars, and estate agents *Weekly farmers' market *Less through traffic. Essential to keep post office *Another pedestrian crossing at surgery (note included 2 ticks) *More social housing by Housing Assocs. and private developers - planning requirement *Another traffic crossing *Eliminate unnecessary traffic from town centre *West Malling is badly in need of a butchers shop, bakers as Tesco have the monopoly. We are losing all our nice individual shops. *A weekly market - local produce plus market traders involving Parish Council *More Farmers' market days *Encourage a balanced lifestyle - use the Abbey! *Traffic to not thru West Malling (congestion charge!!) *More traffic calming Could West Malling become a low carbon community? *Only if we get cheaper public transport *Could the schools become eco-schools? *Maybe we need more idea of what this would involve? *With its excellent range of local facilities, in a compact area, promote West Malling has a "car-free" environment. Set up Car Club to allow for occasional users. *Better promotion of how easy it is to use public transport to reach the surrounding area. *Encourage mothers to walk instead of using 4x4s *Local children attending local schools and walking there and back daily - no cars *Solar power for West Malling CEP School *Slow down the traffic through West Malling *20 mph limit through St Leonards Street to roundabout at top of Kings Hill *Promote the town walks - and encourage access by public transport - joint promotion with bus / train companies? *How can we afford the means to heat our homes by other means *More information about grants and carbon saving alternatives *Emphasis would be on Business, Homes, Traffic. Planning regs and subsidised conversions for heating systems etc. would be required *More local buses to areas such as Offham for school and other places apart from Rochester and Maidstone to encourage less use of car Environment forum October 31 2006